Round Australia Trial

A revival event in 1979 won by superstar touring car driver Peter Brock proved popular, but was not repeated until 16 years later in 1995.

A common criticism of the trial was the number of competitors who drove at dangerously high speeds to recover time lost in a stage.

Another was the advantages enjoyed by sponsored teams: apart from the benefit of support crews along the way, because the route was published in detail a month prior, they were able to have a "practice run" around the course in the weeks before the event.

The route was truly "round (mainland) Australia", beginning in Sydney on 3 July 1954, passing through Brisbane, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Mount Isa, Darwin, Broome, Meekatharra, Madura, Adelaide and Melbourne,[10] finishing at Moore Park on 20 July, 246 cars took part and 127 finished within the times allowed, though many doggedly completed the course in the following week.

[12] In the 1955 Redex Trial, 276 cars left Sydney on 21 August and passed through checkpoints at Newcastle, Tamworth, Southport, Brisbane, Toowoomba, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Marlborough, Sarina, Townsville, Cairns, Hughenden, Duchess, Camooweal, Tennant Creek, Darwin, Katherine, Fitzroy Crossing, Port Hedland, Carnarvon, Perth, Northam, Kalgoorlie, Madura, Ceduna, Adelaide, Broken Hill, Mildura, Horsham, Mount Gambier, Melbourne, Whitfield, Corryong, Canberra, Goulburn and Wollongong, before terminating in Sydney on 11 September, a distance of 10,500 miles (16,900 km).

[14] The last leg was marred by a section near Murrumbateman where contestants were required to negotiate a boggy paddock,[15] which led to Jack Murray, who fared badly and thought he was out of contention, not checking in for scrutiny at the finish line.